STEVENSVILLE — Quantum Climbing in Stevensville is hoping to take the Bitterroot to new heights.
“My goal was October 1st, which everybody said was crazy because that was two months to build a climbing gym," James Higginson, Quantum Climbing's founder, said.
After being unable to open a climbing gym in the late 2000s, James Higginson did not give up on his dream and started working on bringing bouldering to Main Street.
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"This just sort of arose this summer realizing that, 'Hey, if I did like a micro gym setup, then it might be possible pretty quickly,'" he said. "So I talked to the owner of the building and I had the lease signed on August 1st and was like, 'Okay, I'm committed.'"
While the Bitterroot is home to lots of engaging outdoor climbing, the closest place to pull on plastic is Missoula’s Freestone. That’s why Higginson wanted to offer a closer options for Ravalli County residents.
“Obviously there's the training aspect in the wintertime, but I'm also trying to get the community to unite a little bit more," he said. "I find that the older I get, the harder it is to find a climbing partner. It's either because the people my age don't want to do what I'm doing or, you know, there's just fewer of us. I don't mind climbing with the young guys. I need rope guns sometimes, you know. The hope that just help us be even more united.”
Just like climbers set and reach ambitious goals, Higginson is doing that for his business too with another unique design in the works.
"There'll be a lot of fun stuff sort of in development, kind of seeing what people want. So that'll still be happening in here," he explained. "And then in the back, we'll have two silos. They were actually built in 1946, but they are structurally sound. Don't worry. Sixteen top ropes with varied routes. And we'll have lead climbing. We'll have auto belays. I want to open that by the end of the year."
Quantum Climbing will have regular business hours as well as extended hours for those who purchase memberships.
Higginson told MTN the plan is to be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and Saturday. On Sundays, the gym will be open 12-5 p.m. to the public. Membership hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and will include key code access.
You can learn more by visiting Quantum Climbing's website.
